Ironing machine



Feb. 19, 193s.

w. K. Voss 1,991,991

IRONING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1933 MMA/m Patented Feb. 19,- 1935IRONING MACHINE Walter K. Voss, Davenport, Iowa Application March 18,

5 Claims.

The invention relates generally to ironing machines and moreparticularly to one of the coacting ironing elements thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide an ironing machine embodying anironing buck of novel and improved construction.

Ironing machine structures usually include a pair of coacting ironingelements, namely an ironing shoe and a buck. The conventional type ofbuck comprises a iirm supporting base having a surface presented forcooperation with the heated ironing shoe. This surface is customari-A.

ly padded with one or more layers of a suitable material held in placeby a cover or the like. In the ironing operation the articles are moistor damp, contact thereof with the heated lironing shoe produces steamwhich is forced, for the most part, through the cover into the padding,and in consequence the padding in a short time becomes saturated withsteam condensate. This condition is undesirable since it decreasesmachine efilciency through heat loss, seriously impairs the utility ofthe padding, and it becomes impossible thoroughly to dry the articles byironing. Moreover, the padding and cover soon become stained,

unsightly and may soil the articles being ironed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an ironingmachine anironing buck embodying means for preventing steam condensate from beingabsorbed by the padding of the buck.l

A further object resides in the provision, in a padded ironing machinebuck, of means underlying the padding for eiecting a complete andconstant drainage of condensate resulting from steam which has beenforced into the padding in an ironing operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary view in perspective oi' an ironing machineembodying the features of the invention. v v Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the ironing buck.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through said buck.

While the invention is susceptible of various modilcations andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specic formdisclosed, but intend to cover all modiiications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

1933, Serial No. 661,499

Referring to the drawing wherein one form of ironing machine is shownmerely in illustration of the invention, 10 designates` a table or thelike of conventional form in support of the coacting ironing elements 11and 12 of an ironing machine, which, in this instance, is of the typeintended for household use. 'I'he element 11, as shown, is the ironingshoe andcomprises an elongated casing mounted for pivotal movementtoward and away from the table and having a somewhat concave lowerironing face 13. Suitable heating means (not shown) are located withinthe casing.

The element 12 is the ironing buck and in this embodiment isstationarily supported upon the table to present an ironing face forcooperation with the face 13 on the shoe. With particular reference toFigs. 2 and 3, the ironing buck preferably comprises an elongated base14 rigid or integral with a pedestal 15 by which the base is supportedin spaced -relation from the table. Overlying the base 'is a metal plate16 constituting the rigid part of the ironing face, said plate beingsuitably secured to the base, as by screws 17. The plate is gentlyconvex to coact with the concave ironing face 13 and has a downwardlyturned peripheral flange 18 which completely encircles the base. Ifdesired, heat insulating material, such as one or more layers 19 ofyasbestos cloth or the like, may be interposed between theplate 16 andthe base 14.

The upper face of the buck is usually padded by one or more thicknessesof a suitable padding material 20 which have substantially the samedimensions as the plate 16 and are held in place by a cover member 21 ofheavy fabric, secured on' the buck as by draw-strings 22.

` The padding, beingporous and somewhat resilient, is capable ofabsorbing a substantial amount of the moisture resulting from steamcondensa.L tion and the in vention prevents such absorption byinterposing foraminous or perforate means between the plate 16 andpadding 20 to provide a space wherein the steam which is driven into andthrough the padding may condense. To this end, one or more screens, inthis instance two screens designated 23, '24, are employed. Said screensare dimensioned to overlie the entire surface oi' the plate 16, are bentto conform to the convex shape of said plate, and are held together by amarginal binding 25, or other suitable means. It has been foundadvantageous to uti- `lize screens having meshes of different sizes andto position the one having the ner mesh, herein the screen 24, nexttothe padding. 'I'he interstices of the screens thus provide a steamcondensing space of substantial volume and the contour of the plate 16causes the moisture to iiow to the margins thereof.

For draining the moisture from the ironing buck, an upwardly facingtrough 26 is secured about the base 14 with the ange 18 on the plate 16extending downwardly into the trough. Where advisable the trough andflange may t rather snugly together, in which case the outer side of thetrough may be fluted or serrated (as indicated at 27) or otherwisefashioned to facilitate drainage of moisture from the plate 16 into thetrough. This construction reduces the overall dimensions to a, minimumand provides a compact sturdy assembly. Communicating with the trough atopposite sides of the buck are ducts 28 for conveying moisture to asuitable point of disposal, such as a container 29 detachably mounted onthe pedestal 15. An inclination of the trough will cause the moisture toflow quickly to the ducts.

It will be evident from the foregoing, that a new and improved structurehas been provided in which the padding of the ironing buck can neverbecome soggy through saturation with steam condensate, since suchmoisture is withdrawn as rapidly as it forms.

I claim as my invention:

1. Anv ironing buck comprising, in combination, a support having aconvex surface plate, padding over said surface plate, a screeninterposed between said padding and said surface plate and forming aspace therebetween, and a peripheral trough about said surface plate forreceiving drainage therefrom, said plate having a flange thereonentering said trough.

2. An ironing buck comprising, in combination, an upright base, atransverse and gently convex member on said base constituting an upperface,

a trough receiving the `edges of said member and,

being in part serrated to allow free flow of moismeans interposedbetween said padding and said plate to form a space therebetween, and atrough along the peripheral side of said plate toreceive drainage fromsaid space, said plate having an integral lflange thereon extending intosaid trough, said trough having a iiuted side wall to facilitate thedrainage of moisture from said space.

4. An ironing buck comprising, in combination, a support having anironing surface terminating peripherally in an open trough, said troughhaving an outer wall extending upwardly beyond the adjacent face of saidironing surface, foraminous means overlying said surface within theconfines of said outer wall, and padding material overlying saidforaminous means and the edge of said outer wall.

5. An ironing buck comprising, in combination. a member having anironing face, padding over said face, means for supporting and spacingsaid padding from said face to form a condensate accumulating space, andan open peripheral trough extending along said face and having an outerwall higher than the inner wall and extending above said face wherebysaid padding may be folded over the outer wall and said wall will spacesaid padding from the open face of said trough and prevent clogging ofsaid trough b'y the padding.

WALTER K. VOSS.

